Portion Guide
Make your own snack packs: portion out your own snacks in baggies or Stasher Bags
Some good go to snacks to portion out:
Nuts and Seeds
Chopped Raw Veggies ( celery, carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, cucumbers, etc)
Whole Grain Crackers ( be sure there is at least 1g fiber for every 10g carbs on the label when choosing these)
Grain Free Puffs
Tortilla Chips
Dont Skip meals: Don’t make the mistake of skipping a meal to “save on calories” when you will end up overeating at the next meal because of being starve from the last one. You want to be sure you are getting a good balance throughout the day to keep your blood sugar at the right level all day long.
Change up your China: You can also get smaller plates at home to be sure you aren’t loading your bigger plates with more because of the bigger size.
I like: Rae Dunn Small YUM plates
You can also purchase plates that have sections portioned for you for each of your macronutrients.
I like: Wooden Portion Plate
Start food journaling: You can make use of tools in apps like my fitness pal to be sure you are balancing your plate at each meal and keeping track of how much you are eating throughout the day.
Use your muffin tin for making more than just muffins: Think outside of your muffin box and take it to another level by making small meals within your muffin tins. Here are some suggestions below to make that are not your typical muffin:
Try making egg cups that are filled with eggs, turkey bacon, and your favorite veggies.
Mini meatloaves that can easily have some veggies snuck in them
Mini spaghetti and meatballs made with spaghetti squash
Homemade chocolate nut butter cups
Mini cheeseburgers using grass fed beef, almond cheese, and a sugar free ketchup
My favorite muffin tin: Silicon Muffin Tin
Make use of measuring tools: We have those measuring cups and food scales for a reason so make use of them. These will definitely come in handy to really see what an actual serving size looks like.
I like: Measuring Cups
Follow the half plate rule: Try making half of your plate with vegetables and really think about filling it with several colors not just your typical broccoli or green beans at every meal.
Be sure you are staying hydrated: Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! I can’t say this enough to all of my clients. Sometimes we feel as if we are hungry but really it could just be that we are dehydrated. Be sure to drink half your body weight in ounces as a baseline and then for every 8oz of diuretic drink ( coffee, tea, soda, fruit juice, or alcohol) drink back 12oz of water to that.
Use your hands as a guide when you are out to eat: Use your hands to guide how much of each you should have on your plate. This comes in handy when you are out to eat and don’t have access to measuring cups or food scales.
Protein: Palm of your hand
Fats: Thumb
Carbs: Cupped Hand
Veggies: A Fist
Cook things in a mug to make it more appropriate size: You can actually use your mug for more than just coffee. You can have fun with this and make delicious desserts that can come in handy when your sweet tooth hits!
There are several recipes out there for protein mug cakes that are great for when you want something sweet but don’t want to overindulge.
Up your protein: Protein is meant to help you feel full longer, rev up your metabolism, and help you build lean muscle mass. With this said be sure to get a good source of it at every meal and that even includes your snacks.
Sip smarter: Be aware of all the hidden calories and unwanted ingredients in your coffee drinks, juices, some smoothies, sodas, etc. This will just add more sugar, sodium, and calories that you really just dont need. Sticking with water for the most part is the smartest thing.
When it comes to coffee keep it simple by adding your own organic half and half or a milk alternative like almond or coconut milk and a little stevia to add some sweetness in.
Creamer I love: Nut Pods Almond/Coconut Creamer
Consider the serving size: Be sure you are taking a look at your label to see what an actual serving size is. I like to use a bottle of soda as an example. If you look the bottle is actually worth 2 servings instead of one so you are actually consuming twice the amount listed on the label.
Limit your choices:Sometimes if we stock our houses with too many choices this can become overwhelming and end up making you overeat. Keep the staples that you are used to in the house as a start and then maybe add in a new item a week to try a new recipe.
Choose foods that already come pre portioned: Make use of meal prep businesses in your town. These can come in handy when it comes to being sure you are just eating the correct portion of your food. I like a local service we have here in knoxville called Family Meal. The link to their website is below for you to schedule your consult today with chef David Ferguson.
Make use of single serving items: Choose single serving packets or packs to be sure you are only eating one serving instead of overeating the serving. Some of my favorites are the single serve nut butter, single serve ghee, single serve trail mixes, single serve nuts and seeds.
Nut Butters: Justins Single Serving Almond Butter
Ghee: Fourth and Heart Single Serve Ghee
Mixed Nuts: Single Serve Mixed Nuts
Start with at least 1 or 2 of these suggestions to be on your way to using more correct portions and letting a lot go a long way!
